A Girl's Guide to Living and Dying
by prying.delilah
Summary: Hermione's been fatally cursed and there's only one Potions Master who can help her. But there are more obstacles in her way than she anticipated including the charismatic and dangerous Malfoys. Multichapter drabble version of What Not To Do by cordyangel
1. Don't Ruin The Scenery

**_A Girl's Guide To Living and Dying_ by prying.delilah. **

**Disclaimer: I am not making money off of writing this. Trust me.**

**Plot: Hermione Granger has been cursed by Voldemort and she will die unless a certain Potions professor is found and recruited to her cause. But what happens when you're caught in a love triangle with only a little time to live?**

**Pairings: HG/SS, HG/DM, unrequited/twisted LM/HG**

**Chapter 1: Don't Ruin the Scenery**

She could scarcely breathe.

Turning back wasn't an option; she had to find him. It had been a month. Tonight was the night.

It'd been hell searching for him for as of late, Severus Snape wasn't an easy man to find.

Violently, she doubled over; air emptying her body. She choked trying desperately to draw in another breath.

But she'd had to find him, because if she didn't, she would die.

She'd arrived.

Hermione knocked on the door of the seemingly abandoned house. As it opened, another stab and lightheadedness seized her.

"Hello Professor," she said, crumpling to the ground.


	2. When Angry, Count To Ten

**Chapter 2: When Angry, Count to Ten**

He could kill her for coming here.

Hermione's eyes flew open; disoriented only a moment "Professor?"

"Shut up!" A myriad of emotions possessed him but he chose to embrace the familiar: anger. "Get out!"

"Please, I have nowhere to go!"

With her pale face and bitten lip, she looked so vulnerable; so exposed, so naked; it was indecent to look.

"That's not my concern."

She sat defiantly, vulnerability gone.

"You have no idea what I'm capable of." Grabbing her frizzy hair, twisting her head up; black eyes met brown. "I am a bad man, I have done things-"

"Killed Dumbledore?"


	3. Don't Speak

**Chapter 3: Don't Speak**

_What the hell…?_

Snape released Hermione's head roughly as if he'd been burned, causing it to roll forward. Properly shocked, he scrambled away from her.

"What?"

"Like killing Dumbledore," she repeated. "Everyone in the Order believes you returned to the Dark Side. Except me."

"Went back?" A trademark sneer. "I never left." His lies were pouring out like poison, and it felt so good to release them.

He was scaring her at last. He hadn't use for those who weren't afraid of him. But more disturbingly, he was scaring himself, beginning to forget where lies ended and the truth began.


	4. Don't Assume

**Chapter 4: Don't Assume**

Snape was trembling with rage. And he was scaring Hermione more than she'd ever been scared in her life. How sure was she about this theory of hers? How positive was she that, while there was no doubt Snape had killed Dumbldore, it hadn't been in cold blood?

"This is the last time I'll tell you this little girl." Snape's voice was much softer, but somehow, even more sinister. "Get out or Dumbledore's won't be the last body they find."

Hermione gave a sharp laugh despite her fear. "That would probably frighten me more if I weren't already dying professor."


	5. Don't Lose Touch

**Chapter 5: Don't Lose Touch**

The Weasley's place buzzed with activity. Harry was glad to see Ron again, but they were still waiting for Hermione to show up. Bill and Fleur's wedding was soon and Hermione had promised to be there.

"Hey mate, any word?"

Harry shook his head. It was strange. Neither had heard from her since earlier that summer and all their correspondence to her had returned, unopened.

"I could pop in and make sure she's okay," Lupin offered.

"Yes," they said in unison. "But," Harry said, "Could we come with you?"

Lupin nodded. "Hold on." and with a pop, the three disappeared.


	6. Follow Your Intuition

Chapter 6: Follow Your Intuition 

Something wasn't right. The house had been ransacked, and it stank, a vaguely familiar scent.

The house reeked of death.

Lupin drew out his wand though whoever attacked was long gone.

"Don't come in!" Too late.

"Oh gods," Harry crouched, vomiting.

Blood. Blood.

Hermione's parents.

Harry faintly heard Ron entering. More vomiting.

The Dark Mark crawled on their skin, alive even as their bodies were not.

Images of the grotesque scene choked his mind; Harry powerless to stop them.

"We've must get out." Lupin grabbed Harry and Ron.

"I…I don't understand."

"Is she…"

"Alive or…dead, she's not here. Come on."


	7. Never Let 'Em See You Sweat

**Okay, a lot of people have reviewed saying that they dislike the chapter length, but I'm sorry to say that it's not going to change. This is a multi-_drabble_ fic, which means by definition, each chapter is only 100 words. I promise to do better with updating and it's unlikely that I'll ever just post one chapter at a time, but the fact still remains that every chapter will be 100 words. Sorry.**

"Nice try-"

Footsteps. Draco was coming. Snape's glance fell on an obscure closet, which he opened and threw Hermione in just as Draco entered. "Hey Severus. Whatchya doing?"

"Nothing," Snape sputtered. "How was Azkaban?"

"As expected. Mum's ecstatic I didn't die. You're the best thing since self-spelling wands." Draco scowled but continued. "Did you eat?"

Severus never ate.

Draco knew that.

"Well, I brought back some stuff. The basics. Oh shit!"

"What?"

"I forgot milk. I'll be back."

Once Draco left, Snape yanked the closet open.

"Wow," Hermione said, falling out, "you sure know how to put a girl up."


	8. Don't Ask, Just Tell

Snape shoved her against a wall, palming her forearms, begging her to struggle. Instead of trying to squirm away, however Granger looked at him calmly unnerving him more than a physical scuffle would've. "Why are you still here?"

"You stuck me in your closet."

"Yes, well I couldn't have you about with Draco around."

Draco's name froze Granger but she quickly responded, "You haven't killed me yet."

"Yet."

"You won't. And I told you, I don't believe-"

"Oh, yes. What makes you sure? Woman's intuition?"

"No, Logic."

"Really?"

"How else would I know you're the Secret Keeper for the Order?"


End file.
